Donald Papp writes about Jev, a new class of model that takes text input but outputs only floating-point numbers, making it fast and cheap for classification tasks. Rather than generating sentences, it returns direct answers to yes/no questions, multiple-choice lists, and scoring requests. The concept has quickly gained traction, with developers already building their own decision-type models like Kev and Nimble.
- Jev outputs a confidence score for every answer, derived from the relative token probabilities
- Nimble is small enough to run locally and was recently added as a supported model in Ollama
- Simon Willison provided a concise summary of what Jev does
- The comment section sparked debate over whether this is truly novel, with some noting it's essentially an LLM with constrained outputs
- Jev outputs a confidence score for every answer, derived from the relative token probabilities
- Nimble is small enough to run locally and was recently added as a supported model in Ollama
- Simon Willison provided a concise summary of what Jev does
- The comment section sparked debate over whether this is truly novel, with some noting it's essentially an LLM with constrained outputs
Codewhale is a Rust-based terminal agent designed to read codebases, edit files, run commands, and verify results in a continuous loop, distinguishing it from tools that only generate code. It supports both hosted and local model providers and offers a two-mode system (`plan` for read-only exploration and `work` for active modification) that increases developer confidence in its autonomy.
- Written in Rust and distributed via crates.io, npm, Docker, Nix, and Android/Termux.
- Supports headless execution via `codewhale exec` for use in CI pipelines or shell scripts.
- Allows delegation of different subtasks to different models or roles within a single project.
- Maintainers note that the changelog currently describes an unreleased candidate not yet in published downloads.
- Written in Rust and distributed via crates.io, npm, Docker, Nix, and Android/Termux.
- Supports headless execution via `codewhale exec` for use in CI pipelines or shell scripts.
- Allows delegation of different subtasks to different models or roles within a single project.
- Maintainers note that the changelog currently describes an unreleased candidate not yet in published downloads.
Hylki is a fast, GNOME-native email client built in Rust with GTK 4 and libadwaita, offering a three-pane layout, unified inbox, and first-class OAuth support with privacy as a core design principle.
- The app contains no generative AI features and never sends mail to such services, though the majority of its Rust code was written with Claude Code
- Hylki is the successor to two earlier projects (Veem and Vireo) and can install alongside Vireo, automatically migrating accounts, settings, and cached mail on first launch
- The Flatpak is the only recommended install method, as Arch, Debian/Ubuntu, and Snap packages were discontinued after version 1.7.0
- The app contains no generative AI features and never sends mail to such services, though the majority of its Rust code was written with Claude Code
- Hylki is the successor to two earlier projects (Veem and Vireo) and can install alongside Vireo, automatically migrating accounts, settings, and cached mail on first launch
- The Flatpak is the only recommended install method, as Arch, Debian/Ubuntu, and Snap packages were discontinued after version 1.7.0
SandBase Harness is an open-source Node.js runtime that keeps agent sessions, sandboxed tools, memory, credentials, audit trails, and a web Console entirely on the user's own machine. An `init` command scaffolds a workspace with a `config.yaml` pointing to a provider environment variable, and `start` serves both an API and a dashboard on localhost. It supports OpenAI, Anthropic, MiniMax, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, and Docker is optional, used only for Docker-backed sandboxes. A CLI `chat` command is available for terminal-based interaction.
- Tool approval is a first-class concept; by default tool calls park for human approval, though `--tool-approval allow` can preauthorize them.
- The model ID must match what the provider actually serves (e.g., `deepseek-chat` for DeepSeek), or the turn fails with `model_not_found`.
- Provider settings saved via the Console only take effect after a restart, a gotcha the documentation calls out explicitly.
- The project is listed in the Official MCP Registry.
- Tool approval is a first-class concept; by default tool calls park for human approval, though `--tool-approval allow` can preauthorize them.
- The model ID must match what the provider actually serves (e.g., `deepseek-chat` for DeepSeek), or the turn fails with `model_not_found`.
- Provider settings saved via the Console only take effect after a restart, a gotcha the documentation calls out explicitly.
- The project is listed in the Official MCP Registry.
Jenny List writes about a project by Levente Szabadkai who traced the iconic font from Commodore 64 keyboard keycaps using photographs and released it as a vector font on GitHub. The font includes uppercase letters, PETSCII glyphs, function keys, and a Commodore logo, though commenters noted several inaccuracies in the tracing and pointed out that the C64 did in fact support lowercase characters on screen.
- Commenters identified specific discrepancies in the recreated font, including the shape of the G, R, and M characters, and the lack of stroke contrast present on the original keycaps.
- A commenter provided a Dropbox link to a modified version of the font that adds lowercase letters and fixes some symbols.
- The article's claim that the C64 "never sported lower case letters" was widely disputed; the machine supported lowercase via C= + Shift, though the keycaps themselves only displayed uppercase.
- A link to an earlier, more faithful recreation of the C64 screen font (style64.org) was shared, though that is distinct from the keycap font.
- Commenters identified specific discrepancies in the recreated font, including the shape of the G, R, and M characters, and the lack of stroke contrast present on the original keycaps.
- A commenter provided a Dropbox link to a modified version of the font that adds lowercase letters and fixes some symbols.
- The article's claim that the C64 "never sported lower case letters" was widely disputed; the machine supported lowercase via C= + Shift, though the keycaps themselves only displayed uppercase.
- A link to an earlier, more faithful recreation of the C64 screen font (style64.org) was shared, though that is distinct from the keycap font.
Matt Pocock writes about the `/retro` skill, an agent plugin that reviews a coding session's record to suggest improvements to the working environment rather than the code itself. It identifies moments where the agent struggled and proposes fixes like navigation pointers, automated checks, or coding standard rules, categorizing each finding by the type of failure it addresses. The skill operates on the principle that mechanical violations should become deterministic checks while only genuine judgement calls become prose in reviewer standards, and it deliberately keeps humans in the loop by only proposing changes until explicitly accepted.
- The skill is explicitly not a memory system; it changes the environment so mistakes cannot recur rather than storing what happened.
- A known weakness is that it can only evaluate one session, so it cannot detect when previously proposed lint rules or hooks have become outdated or overly noisy.
- The author notes a common failure mode where the agent "tends to forget the struggles from the middle of the session and invents generic advice to satisfy the retro categories."
- The skill is explicitly not a memory system; it changes the environment so mistakes cannot recur rather than storing what happened.
- A known weakness is that it can only evaluate one session, so it cannot detect when previously proposed lint rules or hooks have become outdated or overly noisy.
- The author notes a common failure mode where the agent "tends to forget the struggles from the middle of the session and invents generic advice to satisfy the retro categories."
Linus wrote Git in about 10 days, so I asked my local LLM to build something similar with one promptRich Edmonds writes that he tasked a local LLM with building a Git-like version control system from scratch to test the capabilities of home-based models. Using a 27B parameter Qwen model on a modest 20 GB VRAM setup, the system generated a working Python script named tinyvcs that handles core repository functions like initialization, commits, and history inspection. While the model identified and fixed several bugs on its own, it eventually required manual intervention to correct schema validation and symlink issues, producing a functional but basic proof of concept that lacks features like branching and remote management.
- The hardware utilized for this project is being used for a non-intended purpose, as consumer-grade GPUs are generally designed for gaming and graphics rendering rather than the heavy lifting required for local model inference.
- The LLM was strictly constrained to the Python standard library and had no internet access or ability to call external APIs.
- The resulting tinyvcs tool is comparable to an early prototype of Git, featuring content-addressed objects and SHA-based IDs but missing standard features like tags, remotes, and merging.
- The hardware utilized for this project is being used for a non-intended purpose, as consumer-grade GPUs are generally designed for gaming and graphics rendering rather than the heavy lifting required for local model inference.
- The LLM was strictly constrained to the Python standard library and had no internet access or ability to call external APIs.
- The resulting tinyvcs tool is comparable to an early prototype of Git, featuring content-addressed objects and SHA-based IDs but missing standard features like tags, remotes, and merging.
Waveshare's Thermal-Camera-ESP32-Module is a compact wireless infrared thermal imaging camera built on the ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 chip, featuring an 80x62 pixel microbolometer/thermopile sensor array with a 25 FPS refresh rate and a dual-mode 2.4 GHz WiFi/Bluetooth 5 LE connection. It offers two field-of-view options (45° basic and 90° wide angle), supports target temperatures from -40°C to 400°C with ±2°C accuracy, and includes a rechargeable lithium battery header, Type-C power connector, and 14 GPIO pins for expansion. The module can stream thermal images via a web interface or serial port, configured through an Android Bluetooth app or factory firmware flashing.
- NETD of 125mK provides reasonable thermal sensitivity for consumer and hobbyist applications
- The module supports both AP (hotspot) and STA (client) WiFi modes, with AP mode defaulting to 192.168.4.1:3333
- Emissivity considerations are important for accurate readings; the article explains gray body and selective radiator concepts
- Source code is provided for VS Code and ESP-IDF v5.4.1, enabling secondary development
- A third-party Node.js web interface project is linked for alternative display solutions
- NETD of 125mK provides reasonable thermal sensitivity for consumer and hobbyist applications
- The module supports both AP (hotspot) and STA (client) WiFi modes, with AP mode defaulting to 192.168.4.1:3333
- Emissivity considerations are important for accurate readings; the article explains gray body and selective radiator concepts
- Source code is provided for VS Code and ESP-IDF v5.4.1, enabling secondary development
- A third-party Node.js web interface project is linked for alternative display solutions
A single-file software-defined radio receiver that runs entirely in a Chromium-based browser via WebUSB, requiring no installation, no internet, and no admin rights—just an RTL-SDR stick, an antenna, and `index.html` on a USB drive. The project is designed for offline and remote use cases, such as field expeditions, emergency kits, and locked-down computers, supporting FM stereo with RDS, shortwave, airband, PMR446, and general coverage from 100 kHz to 1.766 MHz.
- Decodes weather fax, Morse code (auto speed detection), and RDS, with an "Identify" menu that optionally queries shortwave.live or a web search for the tuned frequency.
- Includes a Panorama feature that sweeps up to 10 MHz at once and stitches the slices together for a wideband view.
- Built using Jacobo Tarrío's `webrtlsdr` and `signals` libraries (from the original Google Radio Receiver Chrome app), bundled into one file with esbuild.
- The US National Weather Service proposed closing its five HF radiofax stations in late 2026.
- Demo mode is available without a stick by opening `index.html?demo`, which simulates stations including FM stereo with RDS, fading shortwave, SSB, Morse, and weather fax.
- Decodes weather fax, Morse code (auto speed detection), and RDS, with an "Identify" menu that optionally queries shortwave.live or a web search for the tuned frequency.
- Includes a Panorama feature that sweeps up to 10 MHz at once and stitches the slices together for a wideband view.
- Built using Jacobo Tarrío's `webrtlsdr` and `signals` libraries (from the original Google Radio Receiver Chrome app), bundled into one file with esbuild.
- The US National Weather Service proposed closing its five HF radiofax stations in late 2026.
- Demo mode is available without a stick by opening `index.html?demo`, which simulates stations including FM stereo with RDS, fading shortwave, SSB, Morse, and weather fax.
Richard Didd has released OFFgrid-SDR, a fully offline RTL-SDR receiver that runs in a single HTML file without requiring any installation or internet access. The program utilizes WebUSB in modern browsers to demodulate various signal types and display spectrum and waterfall data, while also including built-in decoders for RDS, weather fax, and Morse code. Its primary advantage is portability, allowing users to store the application on a USB drive and run it on almost any machine with a compatible browser.
- Windows users must install WinUSB drivers via Zadig
- Linux users must blacklist DVB-T drivers
- macOS and Chromebook require no additional setup
- Project documentation is available on the developer's Hackaday.io page
- Windows users must install WinUSB drivers via Zadig
- Linux users must blacklist DVB-T drivers
- macOS and Chromebook require no additional setup
- Project documentation is available on the developer's Hackaday.io page
